Alarm switch



Sept. 7, 1937. H. w. VAN BRUNT 2,092,564

I ALARM SWITCH F'iled Dec. 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EXIT 7501 Fran? By QM w A Home} Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE assignor of one-half to Edward P. Van Brunt,

Germantown, N. Y.

Application December 10, 1935, Serial No. 53,779

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in alarms particularly for automobile service stations to indicate the arrival of a vehicle to be serviced, although it will be understood that an apparatus in accordance with the present invention may be used for any purpose for which it may be found adapted and desirable.

The primary object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an apparatus embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts through the medium of which an audible signal, such as a bell, will be automatically actuated when a vehicle approaches to be serviced.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an alarm of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured, installed and maintained at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become ap parent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus, the pump island and the building being broken away in section to reveal portions of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the invention.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section through the switch unit.

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the modification with the cover removed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the reference numeral I designates the usual building located on an automobile service station from which an island or platform 2 is spaced in a manner to define a driveway 3. The usual pump or pumps 4 are mounted on the island 2 Recessed in the side of the island 2 which is adjacent to building I is a block 5 of suitable insulating material having extending transversely through the lower end portion thereof a channel 6. Formed vertically in the block 5 above the channel 6 is a cylinder I in which a plunger 8 is mounted for reciprocation. Threadedly engaged in the 65 lower end portion of the plunger 8 is an eye-bolt 9 the eye I0 of which is located in the channel A coil spring H encircles the eye-bolt 9 :in

the cylinder 1 and is engaged with the lower end of the plunger 8 for yieldingly resisting downward movement of said plunger. 5

Extending transversely across the driveway 3 is a treadle I2 in the form of a pipe of circular crosssection having one end portion engaged in the eye III of the eye-bolt 9. The other end portion of the treadle I2 rests in a notch I3 which is provided 10 therefor in the upper face of a supporting block I4 which is located in the driveway 3 at a spaced point from the island 2. The upper face of the block I4 is preferably arcuate to facilitate the rolling of a tire thereover withoutinjury. As 15 best seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, the treadle I2 is normally supported in slightly elevated position above the surface of the driveway 3.

Pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane on top of the block 5 is an arm I5 20 which rests on the upper end of the plunger 8. Mounted transversely on the free'end of the arm I5 is a conductor element It which is adapted to bridge a pair of contacts I! which are mounted on top of the block 5.- The contacts I! are in an elec- 25 tric circuit which includes a bell I 8 which is pref erably, but not-necessarily, located in the building I. If desired, an electric light may be substituted for the bell I8, or both a bell and a light may be utilized. The reference numeral I9 designates 0 conductor wires connected to the contacts II. It will thus be seen that a switch designated generally by the reference numeral 20 is provided.

A bracket 2| extends above the switch 20 andmounted between saidbracket 2| and the arm I5 35 I in a comparatively weak coil spring 22 which yieldingly urges said arm I5 downwardly. The reference numeral 23 designates a cover for the switch 20 and adjacent elements, said cover being mounted on the block 5. 40

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The coil spring I I normally supports the adjacent end of the treadle I2 and the arm I5 in elevated position thereby maintain- 45 ing the switch 20 open. However, when the wheel of an automobile passes over the treadle I2 the plunger 8 is drawn downwardly against the tension of the spring II thus lowering the arm I5 and engaging the element I6 with the contacts H for energizing the bell I8. Of course, as soon as the vehicle wheel has passed over the treadle I2 said treadle and the arm I 5 are again elevated by the coil spring II for disengaging the element it from the contacts I! and deenergizing the bell I8.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, spaced extensions 24 rise from 5 the top of the block 5 and slidably mounted in said extensions and traversing the space therebetween is a pin 25 having mounted transversely therein, at an intermediate point, a conductor element 26. The conductor element 26 is adapted to bridge a pair of spaced contactsl'l which are mounted on the inner vertical wall of one of the extensions 24.

Mounted in the socket 28 which is formed in one of the extensions 24 for slidably receiving one end portion of the pin is a coil spring 29 which yieldingly urges said pin 25 toward circuit closing or operative position. The other end portion of the pin 25 projects through a cover 36 and has fixed thereon a knob 3|. At an intermediate 0 point, the lower portion of the pin 25 is slightly recessed, as at 32, for the reception of the upper end portion of the plunger 8. In other respects the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6 is substantially similar in construction and operation to 25 the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.

In the modified form of the invention, the plunger 8, under impulsion by the spring I I, normally retains the slidable pin 25 in retracted or 30 inoperative position against the tension of the spring 29. In this position the conductor element .26 is spaced from the contacts 2'! and the signal bell i8 is, of course, deenergized. However, when the wheel of a vehicle passes over the treadle i2 the plunger 8 is pulled downwardly out of engagement with the pin 25, thus freeing said pin and permitting same to be actuated by the coil spring 29 for engaging the conductor element 26 with the contacts 21 thereby energizing the bell I8. In this arrangement the bell will continue to ring until the circuit is broken by the attendant through the medium of a manually operable switch interposed in the circuit. When the automobile has been serviced and has passed on, the

pin 25 may be manually reset, the aforementioned switch again closed and the apparatus is now ready for the next operation. It may be well to here state that the conductor element It is insulated from the arm 15 and the element 26 is -insulated from the pin 25 for reasons which are thought to be obvious.

It is believed that the many advantages of an alarm constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and a1- xthough preferred embodiments of the apparatus are as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that further modifications and changes in details of construction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A tread operated switch comprising a block having a transverse passage therein and further having a cylinder therein above the passage, a movable switch member carried by the block above the cylinder, a plunger slidable in the cylinder and engaged with the switch member for maintaining said switch in open position, an eyebolt anchored in the plunger and extending into the passage, a vehicle actuated treadle engaged in the eye of said eye-bolt, and a spring engaged with the plunger for yieldingly supporting the treadle in a suspended position and for releasably engaging the plunger with the switch memher.

2. A tread operated switch comprising a block, a pair of spaced contacts on the biock, an arm pivotally mounted on the block, a conductor element mounted on the arm for bridging said contacts, a spring engaged with the arm for yieldingly urging the conductor element into engagement with the contacts, a plunger slidably mounted in the block and engaged with the arm, a spring engaged with the plunger for disengaging the conductor element from the contacts, a ve hicle actuated treadle and connecting means between the plunger and. treadle for suspending one end or" said treadle in elevated position for actuating said plunger against the tension of the second named spring for closing the switch.

3. A tread operated switch comprising a block, spaced extensions rising from the top of said block, said switch including a pair of spaced contacts mounted on one of said extensions, a pin slidably mounted in the extensions and traversing the space therebetween, a conductor element mounted transversely in said pin and engagable with the contacts, a spring operatively engaged with the pin for actuating said pin in a direction to engage the conductor element with the contacts, a spring actuated plunger slidably mounted in the block and engaged with the pin for releasably securing said pin in retracted position, a vehicle actuated treadle, and connecting means between the plunger and treadle forming a suspended connection between the plunger and said treadle for actuation thereby for releasing the pin.

HENRY WELDON VAN BRUNT. 

